Transmission



April 1953 J. J. CAMPODONICO 2,633,753

TRANSMISSION Filed April 16, 1951 INVENTOR. Jo/l/v J CAMPODON/CO Patented Apr. 7, 1953 TRANSMISSION John J. Campodonico, Stockton, Calif., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, of seventeen and one-half per cent to himself, seventeen and one-half per cent to Frank G. Campodonico, seventeen and one-half per cent to Edward E. Breitenbucher, seventeen and one-half per cent to James E. Guillet, fifteen per cent to John J. Ferraiuolo, and fifteen per cent to John T. McNally, Stockton, Calif.

Application April 16, 1951, Serial No. 221,216

1 Claim.

My invention relates to change speed transmissions primarily for use in automotive vehicles and particularly for use in trucks, tractors and other heavy duty service. Transmissions of this general character are represented by the patent to Campodonico, Number 2,386,540 issued October 9, 1945.

In general, vehicular transmissions with speed changes in steps are difficult to operate to provide a quick shift and to afford a positive and virtually instantaneous transfer of power in successive ratios.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a transmission in which a ratio shift can be accomplished very quickly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a change gear transmission in which delays due to gear clashing and failure to mesh are completely eliminated.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved change gear or change speed trans mission.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a change speed transmission substantially of the conventional sort in most respects in order that it will be readily serviceable and readily fabricated yet one in which numerous advantages in connection with the changing of gear ratios are obtained.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a gear change transmission having a large number of ratios in a comparatively normal sized unit utilizing two or more parallel shafts for mounting two or more synchronizing devices to preselcct speeds in one gear while under power in another speed without loss of motion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a multiple gear transmission instantaneously selective by the vehicle operator over the entire range.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the form of the transmission illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in the accompanying description.

In the drawing, the figure is a cross section on an approximately horizontal plane through a transmission constructed substantially in accordance with my invention, reference being had again to the issued patent hereinabove mentioned for further illustration and description of parts that are used in common.

In the preferred embodiment of the device, which has satisfactorily performed in service, the transmission is designed to receive power from an engine equipped with a dual clutch (not 2 shown) that is, a clutch having two driven plates alternately engageable. One of the clutch plates when engaged drives a central drive shaft 6 while the other clutch plate when engaged drives a central drive sleeve 1. The shaft and the sleeve are both suitably mounted in the forward wall 8 of a transmission housing 9 of the usual construction for installation normally amidships in a vehicle. The drive shaft Ii on its inner end is equipped with a pinion gear I! meshing with a driven gear I2 mounted at the forward end of an A shaft I 3 journalled at its opposite ends in the front wall 8 and in the rear wall I4 of the housing 9.

Also mounted on the A shaft I3 is a first reverse pinion Iii designed to mesh with a shiftable reverse idler l! (dotted). The idler is alwaysin mesh with the pinion I6 and when axially shifted engages with the gear I8. This gear I8 is mounted on a central driven'shaft IS in axial alignment with the driving shaft 6 and'the driving sleeve 1. The shaft I9 extends through the rear wall It of the transmission case to provide a junction 2| with a propellor shaft. With this arrangement, when the reverse idler H is slid into mesh with the gear'IB, the drive is transmitted indirectly through the A shaft from the driving shaft 6 to the driven shaft I9.

In order to obtain a different reverse ratio and in effect to provide two reverse speeds, the driving sleeve 1 on its inner end is provided with a driving gear 23 meshing with a driven gear 24 on a B shaft 26. This latter shaft is supported in suitable bearings in the front wall 8' and in the rear wall I4 of the case 9 and is in all respects comparable to the shaft I3. Correspondingly, it has a-driving pinion 2'? fast on it mesh ing always with a reverse pinion 28 slidable into engagement with the driven gear I8 on the driven shaft I9. When the sliding gear 28 is engaged with its mating gear IS and when the appropriate clutch plate is engaged to drive the sleeve 1, the torque of the sleeve is transmitted through such gears to the driven shaft I 9. Thus, by appropriately engaging one or the other of the clutch plates when both of the reverse pinions are in mesh with their associated gears, it is possible to drive the driven shaft-I9 at either selected one of two'distinct'reverse ratios.

- Means are provided for directly coupling. the driven shaft i9 and the'driving shaft 6 to afford a direct drive, the fifth speed in the transmission shown. The inner end of the driving shaft 6 carries a central gear 3| designed to be overriddenand engaged by a corresponding internal gear 32 on a sliding hub 33 mounted by splines hub 33 likewise is radially drilled to carry spring pressed detents 31 at appropriate intervals. The detents engage radial depressions 38 in an encompassing cuff 39 fitting around the hub forks and coaxially mounted with respect to the driven The forward end of the cuff is slightlybevelled to form a clutch cone l: engageable with.

shaft.

a similar internal clutch cone 42 around the inner periphery of a drum 43 fastened to'the driving shaft 6.

In the disengaged position of the shifting collar 36, the are disconnected so that no torque 'is transmitted from the drive shaft 5 to the driven shaft l9.

However, when the operator shifts the collart fi' to the left, as seen in the figure, or in an engaging'direction, the first effect ofth'eaxial movement'ofithe hub 33 is to carry the cuff 3S axially along with it-due totheengagement of the' de tents Slwith the interior of the cuff.

After a slight'initial movement, the external cone =41 frictionally engages the internal cone '42 and causes ithe drive shaft veryquickly to'"assume the same speed of rotation'as the driven shaft 19. During this time, the main clutch on the shaft 5 is disengaged and'the driving torque istransmitted through the sleeve '5. 'The'two shafts E and i9 are therefore synchronized readily and without difficulty. Furtliermovement'of the shifting collar'tli, since ;the clutch faces are then'in firmabutment, causes the de-'- tents 3'! to'yield and the hub 33 to proceedin the-axial direction far enoughso that the internal gear .s'z'overrides and engages with the external gear 3|. This looks :thedrivingshaft 6, and the driven i shaft is firmly together for straight through or high driver With a reverse sequenceiof operation; the'gears 32 and 3! are dis engaged? and as a final movement, the. clutch cone 'l l'l is withdfawnfrom the'cone izso'that the 'detent 31 reengages in the depression 38 and the shifting collar xiii; and: its attendant mechanism are restored to the'initial position shown;

By the foregoing'means, two choices of reverse speed'are accomplished by shifting the master clutches when "the direct drive is uncoupled; A direct'idriveis provided "between the'drive shaft 5 'andithe driven'shaft 29 when theyare clutched together by operation of the shifting collar 36. A shiftrbetween direct drive and the reverse on the Bshaft isalways possible simply by operating the-'m'ainelutches onithe shaft '5 and the sleeve 1, but itis 'not possible toshift from'direct drive to the reverse on the-A shaft;

'In: order to'aifordadditional forward ratios, I'provide on the A shaft 13 a freely revolving gear 5! always in mesh with a gear 52 splined on thedriven" shaft IQ. Similarly, there is freely revolvable on'the A shaft l3 another-driving gear 53 permanently in mesh with a driven gear 5% splined on the'driven shaft l9.

Either'one'orthe'pther of the gears 55 and i3 'may be'coup1ed selectively to the A shaft l3 whenever the direct drive is disen aged. For that reason, the A'shaft is provided witha splined central portion 5'5 on which a driving collar 51 ism'ounted. The collar carries a detent E8 in engagement'with a cuff coaxial with the A shaft and at its opposite ends carrying internal clutch cones iii and 62.' A suitable external clutchconet3 is fastened to the gear 5! while gears 3i and 32 are out of mesh and" synchro-mesh device, the impetus coming from a similar external clutch cone 64 is fastened to the gear: 53. a r a r When either one ortthe theriof the-gears 5! and 53 is to be driven, the central shifting collar 51 is operated in an appropriate direction. Its

first effect is to move the cuff 59 either to the left or to the right and to engage either the internal cone .6! with the external cone 83, to secure synchronization appropriately between the gear 52 and the A shaft l? or to shift the cone 62 into engagementwith the cone t4 similarly to secure synchronization of the A shaft 3 with the gear 53. The synchronization of the A shaft 83 with either gears 51 or 53 is thus accomplished smoothly and, quickly by means of the provided the driven shaft l9, as the master clutch for the shaft 6 is disengaged during this time.

As soon as synchronization has been achieved, further movement of the shifting collar 5! due to theabutment of the cone members causes the detent 58"to ride out of its initial engagement with the cuff 59 and causes either one of a pair'of ex ternal gears fitand El to slide into and mesh with corresponding internal gears 68 and 69 on the gears 59 and 5-3 respectively. This affords a locked connection between the A shaft 43 and the selected one of the gears so that'when'the main clutches on the shaft 6 and sleeve l are appropriately operated; the torque is then transmitted from the drive shaft 5 through the A. shaft and either one of the ears 5! or 53 and the corresponding gear Her 54 to the driven shaft it. In either direction of shift, a synchronization of the gears takes place before an actual engagement of the final drive so that there is no clashing and so that a firm and virtually instantaneous engagement is assured.

Similarly, the B shaft 26 is provided with an exactly comparable synchronizing unit it effecti e in precisely thesame way to couple the B shaft to a driving gear 72 or t a driving gear F3. The driving gear #2 is continuously in mesh with the'driven gear 52 while the drivin gear ii is continuously in mesh with the driven gear 54. A shift collar H therefore produces exactly the same general kind of effect as does the shiftcollar 5i but has, as a result, the coupling of the driving sleeve l and the B shaft either through the gear 72 and the gear 52 to the shaft l 8 or through the gear 13 and the gear sets the shaft it.

The synchro-mesh mechanism 1! uses the torque of the shaft [9 to bring'the shaft 2% and the sleeve '5 up to speed to efiectuate a synchronized shift between the B'sh'aft and thedriven shaft i9 whenever. the driving sleeve 7! .is not clutched to theengine, the synchronizing torque being derived fromthe driven shaft 69.

With this arrangement, the driver operating the vehicle has. of the clutches engaged but the other one disengaged when he is proceeding in any one gear. The particular shaft A or B controlled by the disengaged clutch is not rotated when it is in. neutral conditionwhereas the gears which run freely on that shaft are always rotated because they aremeshed with the gears '52 and 54 which turn with the driven shaft 53. Even though one of the shafts A or B is. de" clutched and is in neutral condition and isnormally stationary, the drivercan, as a'preparatory measure, eife'ctuate a shift on either A or B declutched shaft. During such shift, the synchroznesh mechanism brings the previously stationary shaft up to an appropriatespeed withthe driven shaft so that a firm meshing or locking of the drive gears can be effectuated.

Subsequently, when the appropriate master clutch is disengaged and the other master clutch is engaged, the drive is then transmitted through the other shaft A or B on which the shift was accomplished when the shaft was idle by the synchronized engagement of the drive gears thereon. The disengaged one of the shafts A or B- lows down and stops, thus avoiding wear, providing its drive gears are shifted to a neutral position. Otherwise, the shaft revolves idly as driven from the driven shaft I9 and the still engaged driving gears. But since the master clutch i disengaged, the drive is not locked but is ready for a quick shift back. to the previous speed.

The gears, such as 5| and as or IE and it, freely mounted, always rotate whenever the vehicle moves since they are driven from the driven shaft l9 even though the engine is uncoupled.

Whenever the drive is to be direct, the shifting collar 36 provides an appropriate synchronization between the driving shaft .3 and the driven shaft Hi just prior to the synchronized meshing of the gears 3| and 32.

The arrangement is such that when direct drive is engaged, only speeds on the B shaft can be selected and is such that adjacent speeds on the A shaft cannot be chosen. The choice between speeds on the A shaft and speeds on the B shaft must be alternately chosen as a safety measure. The following choices are possible.

In fifth (direct) speed, shift can be to fourth, second, or B shaft reverse.

In fourth speed, shift can be to fifth, third, first or A shaft reverse.

In third speed, shift can be to fourth, second, or B shaft reverse.

In second speed, shift can be to fifth, third, first or A shaft reverse.

In first speed, shift can be to fourth, second, or B shaft reverse.

In A shaft reverse, shift can be to fourth, sec- 0nd, or B shaft reverse.

In B shaft reverse, shift can be to fifth, third, first or A shaft reverse.

The reverse speeds can easily have the same or similar synchro-mesh or synchronizing arrangement built into them, especially when the transmission is designed for installation in tractors and tanks. When working with bulldozers on tractors, it is more important to preselect speeds at ease due to material handling and lack of momentum, whether empty or full; for example, in bulldozing, shifting from fifth speed to B shaft reverse permits forward and reverse movement at will when so engaged. This is also useful for tanks by preselection of any speed or speeds listed above, easily and instantaneously at all times. Shifting can be accomplished without stopping.

In trucks, the reverse shift is employed infrequently and is accomplished usually with the vehicle quite stationary so that synchronization is not usually of sufficient importance to justify the cost of the necessary mechanism.

In accordance with the foregoing, therefore, I have provided a transmission having an A shaft and a B shaft and designed to operate with master clutches and especially incorporating means for synchronizing the gears being shifted on the A or B shaft preparatory to engagement of the respective one of the master clutches so that the gear shifting, although positive and firm, is accomplished without loss of time and without any hesitaney or failure of engagement. Any speed range transmission can be provided, such as 7, 9, ll, 13, etc. speeds for all vehicles and such as 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc. for special tanks and tractors, the direct drive being then usually omitted. The

advantage of my transmission over conventional transmissions is the ability of the operator to shift to a higher or lov'tr speed, in the complete range, at any given speed without of motion, or momentum, and while in continuous driv ing power.

What is claimed is:

A transmission comprising a driving shaft, a driving sleeve coaxial therewith, an A countershaft driven by said driving shaft, a B counter- .shaft driven by said driving sleeve, a driven shaft coaxial with said driving shaft, gears fast on said driven shaft, a first pair of gears freely rotatable on said A countershaft permanently in mesh with said gears on said driven shaft, a second pair of gears freely rotatable on said 13 countershaft and permanently in mesh with said gears on said driven shaft, a first synchronizing mechanism mounted to rotate with said A countershaft and operable to engage either one of the gears driven by said driven shaft of said first pair of gears, a second synchronizing mechanism mounted to rotate with said B countershaft and operable to engage either one of the gears driven by said driven shaft of said second pair of gears, means for directly coupling together said driving shaft and said driven shaft, and a pair of clutches arranged to selectively couple said driving shaft or said driving sleeve to a source of power, whereby a gear on one of said countershafts may be clutched to its countershaft while the other countershaft, the driven shaft and said gear are being driven from said source of power.

JOHN J. CAMPODONICO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,206,409 Kummich July 2, 1940 2,356,522 Kummich Aug. 22, 1944 2,386,540 Campodonico Oct. 9, 1945 2,511,539 Orr June 13, 1950 

